Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bonnington, Crawford, Flathead, Grohman, Kokanee, Kootenay Boundary, Kootenay Pass, Lizard, Lizard-Flathead, Moyie, Norns, Rossland, St. Mary, Valhalla, Ymir.
Give cornices a wide margin when travelling beneath them and when on ridgelines.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
A few wet loose avalanches (size 1 to 2) occurred during the warm, sunny weather on Sunday and Monday. With cooler temperatures now in place, cornices are the main concern for the next few days.
Snowpack Summary
Northerly alpine slopes may still hold 10 to 15 cm of soft, dry snow. Elsewhere, a thick, hard crust covers the surface and may soften with daytime warming.
Weak layers deeper in the snowpack are considered dormant, with no recent avalanche activity.
The snowpack is melting rapidly at lower elevations.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with 0 to 1 cm of snow in the Monashees and Selkirks, 2 to 5 cm in the Purcells and 5 to 10 cm in the Rockies. 40 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Thursday
Mostly sunny. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Friday
Sunny. 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
- Carefully evaluate big and steep terrain features before committing to them.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problems
Cornices
Cornices along ridgelines are large and looming. They weaken with progressive warming and could fail at any time.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3